Yankees Stun Angels as Aaron Judge’s 456-Foot Homer Sparks Dramatic Late-Inning Comeback

Bronx, NY—The New York Yankees return to Yankee Stadium tonight desperate to halt a five-game skid that has wiped away the momentum of their 8-2 start and stirred early-season anxiety across the Bronx. Manager Aaron Boone hands the ball to rookie right-hander Will Warren, who carries a 3.00 ERA but has yet to record an out in the sixth inning this year. Opposing him is veteran lefty Yusei Kikuchi, whose mid-90s fastball and new cutter have produced mixed results (6.39 ERA) through three outings. Why this series matters • Losing streak: Tampa Bay’s weekend sweep dropped New York to 8-7 and trimmed its AL East lead to half a game. • Home cooking: The Yankees are 5-1 in the Bronx and have clubbed 14 homers in those six games. • Momentum shift: The Angels arrive 7-8 but have scored 32 runs in their last five contests. Key storylines to watch 1. Aaron Judge heating up The captain blasted his sixth homer Sunday, a 456-foot rocket to left that briefly silenced Tropicana Field. Judge owns a 1.190 OPS versus Kikuchi and has gone deep in three of his past five games. Another power surge from Judge would instantly reignite a lineup that slashed just .181/.256/.285 on the road trip. 2. Warren’s third-time challenge Warren has dominated early counts (34 percent whiff rate on his sweeper) but opponents are batting .462 the third time through the order. Expect Boone to have Luke Weaver and Nick Burdi ready by the fifth if pitch count creeps past 75. 3. Bronx Bombers vs. Lefties With a southpaw on the hill, Boone loads up on right-handed thump: Paul Goldschmidt (.942 career OPS vs LHP), Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Amed Rosario hit 1-4, while Randal Grichuk starts in center despite a 0-for-17 slump. The Yankees own MLB’s seventh-best wRC+ against lefties; reversing that trend tonight is critical. 4. Mike Trout in the Bronx Trout’s six homers rank second in the AL, and his career .321 average in Yankee Stadium remains a constant threat. Warren must bury his changeup below the zone; Trout slugged .688 on elevated changeups last season. Numbers that tell the tale • 25: Consecutive plate appearances without a Yankee hit with runners in scoring position. • 54 ft: Average home-run distance tonight’s 11 mph jetstream is projected to add to fly balls to left. • 96.1 mph: Average exit velocity against Kikuchi’s four-seamer this season, second-highest among qualified starters. What a win would do Snapping the skid pushes New York back atop the AL East and calms a restless fan base before Max Fried and Ryan Weathers take the mound Tuesday and Wednesday. More importantly, it resets a bullpen that covered 17 innings in St. Petersburg and allows Boone to align high-leverage arms Clay Holmes and Jonathan Loáisiga for later in the series. First-pitch primer • When: 7:05 p.m. ET • Where: Yankee Stadium • TV/Stream: YES Network, FanDuel SportsNet West, MLB.tv (out-of-market) • Weather: 69 °F, clear skies, light breeze out to left Fast facts for searchers New York Yankees vs Los Angeles Angels tickets, Yankees 2026 schedule, Will Warren scouting report, Aaron Judge home run video, Yusei Kikuchi pitching stats, Yankees losing streak, Yankees injury report today. Bottom line The calendar still reads April, but momentum swings fast in the AL East. If the Yankees want to avoid watching their hot start melt away, it begins with Will Warren’s first quality start and a statement night from Judge and the right-handed bats under the bright lights of 161st Street.